Pink grapefruit can be a good food for a weight loss diet because it is easily available and it provides essential nutrients to help you meet your needs even when you are cutting your calories. Remember that your overall diet, not one particular food, determines whether you lose weight, and a nutritionist can help you develop a balanced diet for weight loss.
Calorie Density
Pink grapefruit can help you lose weight because it has a low calorie density, which means that it has a low number of calories compared to the size of a serving. You tend to feel full after you eat a certain volume or weight of food, rather than a certain number of calories, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One half of a large grapefruit, or a 166-g serving, supplies only 53 calories.
Water and Fiber
Pink grapefruit can help you lose weight because it has a high water content, with 151 g water per 166-g serving. Water is not only an essential nutrient for staying alive, but it suppresses your appetite so that you may eat fewer calories overall, according to the University of Michigan. Pink grapefruit is also high in dietary fiber, which decreases hunger because it slows digestion. Half of a large pink grapefruit has 1.8 g fiber, or 7 percent of the daily value.
Suggested Uses
Pink grapefruit is a source of calories, and simply adding it to your regular diet will not promote weight loss. Instead, cut your total calorie intake by eating pink grapefruit instead of higher-calorie foods. Have it for breakfast instead of your regular, high-carbohydrate toast or cereal, or in a fruit salad instead of a high-calorie dessert such as cake or pie. Pink grapefruit is easy to carry and to prepare, making it an ideal snack to help you stave off hunger and prevent overeating later in the day.
Considerations
When you are using pink grapefruit to lose weight, remember to measure your portions so that your calorie counts are accurate. Be careful about adding extra calories, such as from sugar, to your grapefruit, and choose fresh, plain grapefruit instead of grapefruit juice, which provides 96 calories per cup. Liquid calories are not as filling as calories from solid foods, according to the Mayo Clinic. Your weight loss diet should include a variety of other low-calorie foods, such as other fruits, vegetables, beans and lean proteins.
References
- University of Michigan; Healing Foods Pyramid: Water; 2010
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Fruits and Fruit Juices
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Eat More, Weigh Less?
- MayoClinic.com: Cutting Liquid Calories More Effective for Weight Loss?; Jennifer Nelson and Katherine Zeratsky; April 2009
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Eat More, Weigh Less?
- Home of the Glycemic Index



Member Comments